American baseball player and manager (born 1955)
Baseball player
Lee Louis Mazzilli
(born March 25, 1955) is an American former
professional baseball
player,
coach
, and
manager
. He played in
Major League Baseball
(MLB) as an
outfielder
for the
New York Mets
,
Texas Rangers
,
New York Yankees
,
Pittsburgh Pirates
, and
Toronto Blue Jays
from 1976 through 1989. He was an
MLB All-Star
in 1979. Mazzilli also managed the
Baltimore Orioles
from 2004 through 2005 and coached the Yankees from 2000 through 2003 and in 2006.
Early years
[
edit
]
An excellent athlete, Mazzilli was the son of welterweight boxer Libero Mazzilli and his wife, June. Unlike most switch hitters, who naturally bat from one side of the plate and train themselves to feel comfortable on the other, Mazzilli was naturally
ambidextrous
, and swung the bat both ways from an early age. The sport he most excelled in as a junior was
speed skating
, in which he won eight national championships.
[1]
He graduated from Brooklyn's
Lincoln High School
in 1973, and was the first round selection (14th pick overall) of the hometown
New York Mets
in the
1973 Major League Baseball draft
.
[2]
Playing career
[
edit
]
Mazzilli was quite popular in New York City, thanks not only to his talent, but his Brooklyn roots and
matinee idol
looks.
[3]
While in the
minor leagues
, Mazzilli set a
California League
record (and what is believed to be a professional record) when he stole seven bases in a game for the Mets' minor league affiliate
Visalia
against
San Jose
on June 8, 1975.
[4]
In 1979, Mazzilli had his best statistical season, and led the Mets with 4.7 fWAR, 137 WRC+, 181
hits
and 79
runs batted in
, 93 walks against only 74 strikeouts,
[5]
and was one of their two representatives at the
All-Star Game
in
Seattle
(the other being catcher
John Stearns
). Mazzilli hit a game-tying solo
home run
in the eighth inning of that
All-Star Game
, and drew a bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning to bring in the winning run of the
National League
's 7?6 victory. The following year, he had his second best statistical season, leading the Mets with 162 hits, 31
doubles
, 16 home runs, 76 RBIs, 82
runs
, and 41
stolen bases
.
[6]
He also accumulated 3.3 fWAR that season, alongside 127 WRC+. He was the only Met to have 2 RBI's in an All Star Game until 2019 when
Pete Alonso
[7]
did so.
After a
1981 season
in which he hit only .228 and was hampered by injuries to his back and elbow, Mazzilli was traded from the Mets to the
Texas Rangers
for
Ron Darling
and
Walt Terrell
on April 1, 1982. He had lost the
right fielder
competition to
Ellis Valentine
and
Joel Youngblood
. He batted .269 with 61 home runs in his five years with the Mets.
[8]
Mazzilli played only 58 games with Texas and was traded to the
New York Yankees
for
Bucky Dent
midway through the 1982 season. Prior to the 1983 season, Mazzilli was traded to the
Pittsburgh Pirates
for
Tim Burke
, Don Aubin, John Holland, and Jose Rivera.
Re-signing with the Mets
[
edit
]
The Mets were early favorites to reach the post-season in 1986, and prior to the start of the season offered third baseman
Ray Knight
to the Pirates for Mazzilli. The Pirates turned them down.
[
citation needed
]
The Pirates released him in July 1986, and he re-signed with the Mets on August 3.
[
citation needed
]
Upon signing with the Mets, Mazzilli was assigned to their triple-A affiliate, the
Tidewater Tides
. This was his first tour of duty with the Tides as he had made the jump to the major leagues from double-A. On August 7, the Mets released
left fielder
George Foster
and called Mazzilli up to the majors. Foster was very critical of this move by the Mets, and accused his former employers of racism.
[9]
Mazzilli turned out to be an important part of their championship team. His career with the Mets continued until 1989 when he was claimed by the
Toronto Blue Jays
on waivers. Mazzilli retired after the 1989 season, his 14th in the major leagues.
His final major league at bat came on September 29, 1989 when the Toronto Blue Jays were hosting the
Baltimore Orioles
. There was a great deal of attention paid to the game, as it was the middle game of a three-game series that would decide the winner of the
American League East
. The Baltimore Orioles had beaten even the most optimistic expectations and were in first place for much of the 1989 season. Baltimore needed to win three games against Toronto to enter post-season play. Baltimore had lost the first game. In Mazzilli's final at bat, during the second game, he singled to
center field
.
In 14 major league seasons covering 1475 games, Mazzilli batted .259 (1068-for-4124) with 93 home runs and 460 RBI.
Pittsburgh drug trials
[
edit
]
Mazzilli and Pirates teammates
Dale Berra
,
Lee Lacy
,
John Milner
and
Dave Parker
, along with several other notable major league players, were called before a Pittsburgh grand jury for their involvement in the Pittsburgh
cocaine
distribution trial of Curtis Strong. Their testimony led to the drug trials, which made national headlines in September 1985. He and the other players brought before the Pittsburgh Grand Jury were granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for testimony.
Acting career
[
edit
]
At the end of his career, Mazzilli took up acting, starring as Tony in an
off-Broadway
production of
Tony n' Tina's Wedding
.
[10]
Managing/coaching career
[
edit
]
Mazzilli was
manager
of the
Baltimore Orioles
from 2004 until August 4, 2005. The 2005 team compiled a surprising record of 42 wins and 30 losses while spending 62 days in first place in AL East. Its subsequent losing streak led to Mazzilli's firing. He was first base coach to the
New York Yankees
from 2000 to 2003 and bench coach in 2006.
[11]
Managerial record
[
edit
]
Team
|
Year
|
Regular season
|
Postseason
|
Games
|
Won
|
Lost
|
Win %
|
Finish
|
Won
|
Lost
|
Win %
|
Result
|
BAL
|
2004
|
162
|
78
|
84
|
.481
|
3rd in AL East
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
BAL
|
2005
|
107
|
51
|
56
|
.477
|
fired
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
Total
|
269
|
129
|
140
|
.480
|
|
0
|
0
|
?
|
|
Broadcasting
[
edit
]
On December 11, 2006, he was hired as a studio analyst for
Sportsnet New York
. He was replaced by
Bob Ojeda
prior to the 2009 season.
Family
[
edit
]
Mazzilli's brother Fredo introduced him in 1981 to Danielle Folquet, a host of the New York City edition of
PM Magazine
. They were married at
St. Patrick's Cathedral
on February 4, 1984.
[12]
The Mazzillis have three children: Jenna, Lacey, and
Lee Jr.
(known as L.J.) L.J. was drafted by the New York Mets in the fourth round of the 2013
Major League Baseball draft
after playing for the
University of Connecticut
.
[13]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Lee Mazzilli
- Baseballbiography.com
- ^
Goldaper, Sam (June 6, 1973).
"Mets' First Draft Pick Bats and Throws L?R"
.
The New York Times
. Retrieved
May 31,
2021
.
- ^
The Official Site of The New York Mets: News: New York Mets News
[
permanent dead link
]
- ^
"Records might mean more later", Peter Marshall,
San Bernardino County Sun
, August 20, 2005
- ^
"Lee Mazzilli - Stats - Batting | FanGraphs Baseball"
.
- ^
"Lee Mazzilli - Stats - Batting | FanGraphs Baseball"
.
- ^
"Mets' Pete Alonso delivers two-run single in MLB All-Star Game debut"
.
- ^
Durso, Joseph. "Mazzilli Sent to Rangers; Yankees Acquire Rawley,"
The New York Times
, Friday, April 2, 1982.
Retrieved October 31, 2020
- ^
SI.com ? Writers ? All-meltdown team (cont.) ? Tuesday August 29, 2006 5:42PM
- ^
Lee Mazzilli
at
IMDb
- ^
Mazzilli rejoins Yanks as bench coach (11/02/2005)
- ^
Reimer, Susan (May 16, 2004).
"The Home Team"
.
The Baltimore Sun
. Retrieved
August 28,
2013
.
- ^
"LJ Mazzilli"
.
UConn Baseball
. University of Connecticut
. Retrieved
August 28,
2013
.
External links
[
edit
]
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